new: garden decorating rr/oct. bulb/tuber swap!

debbya_gw(z4IL)September 18, 2007

I'm hosting the October swap. I haven't heard from Jackie all summer.

October~ FALL Bulb, tuber swap! Fall items can also be included in the exchange (additional items to help fill the box). Few ideas.. festive colorful leaf kitchen towels, candle (fall colors), Fall placemats, etc. Really anything colorful, just remember this is a bulb, tuber swap so please make those your 'main' items!

Happy Fall, Deb! Count me in, I can hardly wait. I really missed the fun of the swap while sitting out the last month. I've already picked up a couple items for this round. Should we post bulb preferences/colors here, or on our member profiles?

Count me in too. Hubby's gonna kill me though.Told him I would only do one robin per month....well this is # 2 already for Oct. The OBF one will more than likely be # 3 once its posted .I think I might need help!Like a 12 step program or something.LOL!
Would love some....hyacinths,paper whites, tulips, iris, daylilies,crocus,daffs...basiclly if it has a bulb or tuber would love to have it.
Later.....April/dirt_under_my_nails

I'm interested! Haven't been involved with this forum for awhile. Loved being in some of the other robins. Made GREAT friends all over the country. Can I join in too? If so I'll post my fall "wish list". Thanks.
Ann

Great, I am in if you'll have me! My bulbs should be shipping to me tomorrow and I will have plenty to share! They are coming Priority and will be here in time. I am very excited, this will be my first set of bulbs for the new house.

Dab!! Just what I have been looking for!Count me in please : ) I have alot of cannas,dahlias,tulips,daffodils,amaryllis and many others..lol.. I need homes for and of course I always love and want/need more.hee hee.This sounds great!
Nancy

Daylilies: Any and all except for yellows and orange, I have plenty of those already.

I do love the pastels and bitone colored blooms, love the blues, pinks, peaches, lavender, purple, deep colors as well. Just not a huge fan of dark yellow and orange.

Thanks for hosting this Deb! Can't wait to start mailing! I picked up some Black Hero Peony Tulips, Fringed Blue Cummins, Angelique Peony Tulips, Blushing Beauty Tulips, Queen of the Night Tulips and a few more and plan on sharing most of these!

Does anyone here dig up there tulips to split the bulb after each season? I'm curious as to how to go about it. I have always intended to do that to keep them blooming from one season to the next. Any suggestions on the best time to do this?

I just attempted to post the message below and received a weird message that I needed to provide an e-mail address or some such rot. GW gets stranger all the time.
Hello Tracy;
I do not divide mine every year but every few years I will dig them up, usually after the foilage dies back (mostly so I can still find them). If you can still find them now, it is not too late. The biggest problem is making sure you do not cut the bulb in half with the shovel when attempting to dig them up. I have ruined many bulbs that way. Remember they may not grow straight down, a rock may have circumvented their path to the surface so leave plenty of room when digging them up. Then split them and replant them as if they were going in the ground for the first time, plenty of manure and peat. Bulbs love bone meal but so do skunks and they will dig up your bulbs for the bone meal. I have used blood meal very successfully. Not sure what is in that but the skunks do not seem to like it so at least the bulbs stay buried.
The weather has cooled here and I was going to sit this swap out but Deb is one of my favorite people and you can never have too many bulbs. I will be sending ones that are not hardy in my part of the world like begonias, dahlias, cannas and gladiolus. Please keep this in mind if you happen to pick my name. I have no use for these as they die up here.
I am in Deb!! Thanks. diene

Thank you for all of the helpful information! I will be taking that and clipping it to my pages! This will be my first set of bulbs for this house. I had planted tons at our old home but sadly saw a decline in blooms from one year to the next and just knew that this had to be the reason. I will be taking your advice and dividing every few years as you suggest, not to mention picking up the bloodmeal beforehand. It is my understanding that bloodmeal is actually dried blood. The animals abhor it, it is also used to sprinkle around foliage that rabbit and deer enjoy. I have sent you an email.

Hello Fcoffill;
My baby sister is Frances so I know we will get along already. She is one of my favorite people. I will e-mail my address to you and if you can do the same rather than post it, I will get working on your box.
It helps to post a message telling us a bit about you such as do you have children, pets, allergies, etc. We try not to send things that make each other sick or unhappy but that does happen inadvertantly. We also use these swaps to get to know people not just amass stuff. So tell us something about you.
I am an old timer so most people already know too much about me but for your edification, I have no children, one old black cat and lots of flowers, my family lovingly refers to me as a witch and as long as it is a good witch, I am fine with that. I live near the Atlantic ocean and love to walk the beach. I have lots of family being of Irish descent but most of them live "away". I am allergic to bee stings and love perennials. I am not a big fan of "dust collectors" as I hate dusting so save the cutesy stuff for someone else. I am at an age where I am trying to downsize as I have amassed too much stuff for my own good. I do not know if that helped at all.
Hope you enjoy yourself. diene

Hello diene,
After reading your member page and your introduction I feel like I already know you, we are very much alike. I also am allergic to beestings, love perennials and hate anthing that I have to dust.(I would rather be outside) My children are grown and flown, my large family (who think me quite mad) live far away.

I joined GW in August, hoping for help to cope with the drought that continues to plague us here in NC and to pick up a few tips on gardening in the 'South'. I have found that as well as many nice people who are happy to share their knowledge.

I am looking forward to this RR (my first) I hope you will be able to help me avoid making mistakes.

diene,
I guess I should have mentioned something about my garden, though it is pretty crispy at the moment thanks to a summer long drought and mandatory water restrictions. (don't worry I have plenty of fresh new things to share) I love old things (sort of like me)not necessarily heritage type plants, but the kinds of plants I remember and loved growing up. My gardening style is sort of spontaneous/cottage, I like vibrant colours best (blues, violets, reds and yellows) I have 1/3 of an acre of baked red clay and bright shade with a few 'hot' spots thrown in to tease me.

I guess that is everything. If it sounds like a challenge you are absolutely right, but that is one of the things I love about gardening.

Hey Nancy! Your box is all packed and ready to ship! I will be bringing it to the Post Office on Tuesday since Monday is Columbus Day. Those poor guys need another day off from carrying all those big packages! lol!

Hello Frances;
Can you do tulips or are you in a part of the world where they do not work? How about daffodils? I have plenty of stuff to send you but I found some neat tulips the other day and I bought them. Then I came home and my partner from another swap sent me some really special bulbs so I do not have a home for the ones I bought, do you?
If they do not work for you, please let me know, I can find another home for what I bought and I have lots of stuff that needs spliting here.
We are having rain tonight so I hope to get a box to you on Tuesday. Have a great weekend. I will be roofing tomorrow so no gardening.
Take care. diene

Hi Diene
I wish I could have tulips, I love them, but I am told it just doesn't get cold enough for them in the winter. Some daffodil do well here, others must be lifted (like tulip) I wish I could be more helpful, but I have just survived my first year of southern gardening (without too many fatalities)
Rain! now that is something I could really use, do you think you could me spare a little of that? I hope to have your package in the mail early in the week.
Be careful on the roof.
Frances

No worries Carol.I understand about being short handed at work.We had someone out for three weeks before they decided we needed some help.One person can really make a difference in the work load.Hope things lighten up for you.Have a great week. Letha

Hi April (dirt_under_my_nails).
I got your package all packed up but forgot to include a note. Will send you an email instead. I'll drop your package off in the mail tomorrow morning so hopefully you'll get it Thursday or Friday.
Ann

Thanks Tracy, I am sure I will love what you sent.Its a beautiful day so I thought of one more thing I want to dig for your box.It will be on the way thisafternoon yet or tomorrow morning at the latest.I will be back to post the confirmation then : )
Nancy

This has been the craziest weather for fall! Yesterday it was 88 degrees, today it is about 78. This was the cold snap that the forecasters were calling for! ha ha! I think Northern Ohio is trading climates for someplace more southernly. This is the longest span of warm weather I can remember. Amazing. I am still able to dig in the dirt without freezing my fingers. Truly remarkable. Well, I am off to do more fall clean up for whenever it finally arrives! lol! Nancy, take your time! The weather is holding just fine for planting. It may be January before my first heavy frost!
Tracy

I received a wonderful box from Letha today, bulbs wrapped in burlap a candle, cute red basket bulb planter, scarcrow. daylilies iris,2 kinds, rancalus, dutch iris. Thankyou I love it all. hope I didn't miss anything. hope to get yours out soon, other designer is in the hospital so I got 7 days this week, no shopping or mailing time. may be late first of next week I am sorry life happens. sorry but it will be there. hugs carol

I was laughing to myself when I woke up this morning to 50 degree weather! I spoke too soon earlier when I said I won't be digging in the dirt and freezing my fingers! Ah, Irony! I love the cooler weather. Now we will be getting rain, rain and more rain at least for the next few days. I can stop watering finally. It should clear for the weekend. I will keep my eye out for the package, something to look forward too! Thanks!

Hi All! Ann thanks will be on the lookout for it! Yours is on its way too. Confirmation # 0306 0320 0004 5120 2321. We still have the air on here. I'm out to put up electric fence for dogs.They have decided to start chasing cars!!!! We have four acres & they want to chase the cars down the road. GRRRR!
Later.....April/dirt_under_my_nails

Hello Frances;
I took all of the tulip bulbs and daffodils I had bought to send you and planted them yesterday. To make room for all of them I had to dig up some plants so I tried to dig up some that would work for you.
That is my convoluted way of telling you that your box was mailed today. The DC is 01038555749296868183. It probably will just show that I said I was shipping it until it shows up. The Biddeford PO refuses to scan one rate boxes that have postage done on the internet. They claim they are not allowed to and no amount of begging or pleading will sway them.
I hope you enjoy everything and that is arrives soon and whole. I always cringe when I put a box in the Post office. Have a wonderful day. diene

I am just putting the finishing touches on your box and (double checking all the Zones to be sure I don't send anything that will not live in Maine. Will take it to the post office on Friday (you should recieve it on Monday) I got the notice from the USPS. By the way you should be very happy that they will not scan those boxes at the Post Office, I took some to the UPS store where the clerk insisted on scanning them and had the USPS send me a bill for additional Postage. (Big mess to straighten out)
Frances

Tracy,Thank you very much for the wonderful box!You really had ALOT packed in there! LOL....The superstition iris and moonlight masquerade daylily will be a nice addition to my beds as will the wonderful assortment of tulip bulbs( i never had any of the varieties you sent) and climbing nasturnum seeds. I can't wait to get everything planted.mmm.. apple butter : )... the halloween towels,half moon cookie cutter and wall decorations are so cute! and oh yes..the nutragena hand cream is 'perfect' for me..LOL..its the smelly ones I don't like...Thanks again for the great box.I truly loved it all : )
Nancy

Nancy,
I am so glad you like everything and didn't have any of the bulbs! That is great. You and I have the same issues with the fragrances. That hand cream has saved my skin in the past with how dry my hands get in the winter months. I hope it all travelled well!

Congratulations on that fabulous box, April! They all sound wonderful!

Diene, I found a sure fire way to make those buggers at the post office scan the one rate and other boxes when you get there. Print the label with the weight online but don't pay for it. Pay at the post office and they scan it there. HA! The lady who took care of me at the counter the other day was less than polite. I had marked all of my boxes as fragile and this end up with an arrow, think she kept them this way up? Not a chance. Didn't even make an effort to humor me while I was still there. Grrr.

Laurel's package arrived yesterday! I'll post the contents later. My car's having problems! Luckily, it's still under a bumper to bumper warranty so it won't cost anything. I noticed a 'ticking' sound turns out it's the engine (something's rubbing metal to metal). Plus, the window is off track (and started grinding when it rolls up).
And my Son had toenail surgery! When it rains, it pours! ;)

Thank you Diene!
I recieved your box today and am overwhelmed by your generosity! I am running around like a chicken I don't know where to start! All wonderful bulbs and plants perfect for my baked landscape! Great big bags of goodies!

Dahlias
Cannas
Callas
Daylilies
Hosta
Lily bulbs
Lambs Ears

I hope I did not forget anything!
Oh and the SPIDER! Adorable... will try to take a picture to share. I wonder if I can coax my feathered friends to eat from the cup! (My yard is filled with birds all of the time)

The letter is very lovely too, thank you again. I am pleased to meet you and have this opportunity to know you better. (I wish I had thought of that)

I think you have single handedly cured my naked yard of the blahs!

Frances
PS
Here are a few photos from my garden this year (if anyone is interested). Mostly annuals, but the perennial seeds I planted last winter should bloom next year.

My Box arrived today! Thank you very much! I received Karl Rosenfeld Peonies, Naked Ladies, Oxalisis, 3 different Cannas: Unknow Red, Lenupe, and Wyoming Orange! I have never grown Cannas before and am very excited. Thank you for packaging all of them so well. Thanks for the tips on storing them! I love the little scarecrow garden stake! I will put him out in my rockgarden, maybe he will make friends with the little chipmunks who made it their home this year!

Francis,
I took a peak at your garden pictures! They were beautiful shots. You must be quite the photographer. I enjoyed all of the blooms, butterflies and birds! Lovely.

Good Evening Everyone;
I know you are supposed to let everyone know when you get a box but the sun was shining and we had a frost this morning so I decided to plant rather than thank. I know I am horrible but Frances seems so nice I think she will even forgive me.
I received a nice note telling me a bit more about her as well as some beautiful notecards.
Then not only did she mark the plants she sent a sheet telling me all about each one. I received two beautiful daylilies and each had two fans. They are both red in color but have very distinct markings and size so they will compliment each other but not be confused with each other. Then the bulbs, there were Mediterranean Bells which sound exotic, I have to look them up on Hortiplex. They are a type of Allium. Then I also received a big bag of firecracker allium. Then there were some Dutch Irises and finally some yellow daffodils.
She also sent some wonderful plant markers. I have several of these from other swaps, they are all metal and have a copper plate for the name. I have not used any of them yet but I am planning on etching the name in the metal, is that how it is done? Where are you guys getting these?
So between the ones I picked up yesterday (I know, I should not have) and the ones Frances sent, I put 100 more bulbs in the ground today. My gardens are really reaching saturation but I am soo anxious for next spring. I will make sure I post pictures then.
Thanks Frances. It was wonderful.
diene

I just reread my message and realized I should have given you the names of the daylilies. They are Siloam Red Ruby and Assyrian Chariot. I am now going to go look everything up.
Thanks again, Frances.
diene

I am glad to have sent you something 'new' to try. I love Alliums and was searching for the big blue ones (cannot remember what they are called) and found the Medeteranean bells instead. They do have a very unusual flower and are supposed to be very attractive to butterflies and hummers. I have also been told that they have a very definate garlic scent.

I don't have many plants that are 'marker' material yet, so I just write on them with a grease pencil (easy to change them later). But certainly special plants would be worthy of permanant etching. The red daylilies were a treat to myself this fall (combination of fav flower and fav colour) I hope you will enjoy them.

I also wanted to tell you that the handcreme is great! I tend to buy the huge bottles of lotion, which are great indoors but not very portable. This tube is great for the pocket, not to mention the lotion is very soothing on my poor dry hands.

Diene,
That is a wonderful assortment of plants! I will be looking up those daylilies too, they sound striking. I have been looking at those plant markers for myself. I have seen them on ebay and a few of the online suppliers through GW have them as well. They look to be the perfect marker for the garden. They promise to never fade and will get that lovely patina that copper seems to take on with a bit of weather. Ebay seems to have the best rates so far in my search. You planted 100 bulbs today? Congratulations! What a job! I am awaiting your spring pictures anxiously!!!

Frances, What a lovely, thoughtful box you sent! I think you are wrong though. I saw the picturese you took of your flowers in your garden and think they are very worthy of permanent signage. Your garden is lovely.

Hello Frances;
I am glad you like the hand cream, that is what I do. All the products are botanically based which I love. It fits with my gardening and also makes sense. We all know how strong plants are, they bend with the weather but rarely break. They endure year after year. I love all of our products. I only wish they were more affordable. They really are a bargain cause they last so long but they are not cheap.
I discovered these products about five years ago when I was spending a fortune on my skin with not good results. Now I forget how bad my skin was and I marvel when people I am talking to compliment me on my skin.
Well, I could go on and on about this, it is my other passion.
Yes Tracy, I did plant 100 bulbs yesterday and I cannot wait for spring to see them but then I think, stop wishing your life away. Today is a gorgeous fall day and I have an appointment at 11:30 so I need to get moving. I am meeting a client for lunch and then we are going to walk around Kennebunkport. I have not been down to the Port in over a month and now that the tourists have gone, it will be a blast. Have a wonderful day everyone. diene

Hello Diene
When I worked full time at my 'career' I spent a lot more on skin care than that at a certain department store cosmetic counter. But these days my budget just wont stretch that far. (starving artist syndrome, ha ha)

Anyway... it is still too warm here to plant bulbs, but I have planted over 100 daylilies and an equal number of TB Iris, mostly of the mixed NOID varieties, should be pretty exiting around here next summer. I have also planted Hostas and calla lilies and LambsEars. We were planning to plant a lawn this fall but without water it is just not practical, the clover and speedwell and plantain and wiregrass are getting a reprieve.

Tracy
Thanks again, my flowers have been lovely, but most of them (the annuals) bought the farm in July and August. With the water restrictions and 100+ degree temperatures I could not keep them alive. The perennials were started from seed last winter and held up much better but didn't bloom much. Next year will be better. I am planning to atart around 20 flats of drought tolerant and native perennial plants for next year...

I am waiting anxiously for next years pictures! I think your garden will be breathtaking with all that you have planted. Thank goodness you are an excellent photographer! I am saddened that your annuals didn't make it. Surprisingly for me, ours outperformed any that I have planted in the past. It was a very strange summer with the changes in weather conditions for our area. For the first half we were in a drought threat and the second half were full of flash floods! Truly bizarre. My impatiens are knee high this year (I am 5' 10" so that is pretty big for my impatiens! lol!). I have an annual geranium that is nearly 3 foot tall. I started pulling all of them out for the compost heap and have a hard time pitching that one! Feel like bronzing it for posterity.

My gardens are continuously being done, redone, moved, added to, etc. Always seems to be that something could be doing better elsewhere in the yard. I told the hubby last night about the new bed that I am putting in and he just looked confused. Doesn't seem to understand there is always more to plant!

It's been an awful month for me! My Son had toe nail surgery on both toes (4 pieces of nail removed from 2 big toes), Greenbean died (my Monk parrot). And I didn't even have a chance to post Laurel's box contents!

I closed the box before adding the "Amaryllis seeds" and stuck them in a box corner (look for the clear tape on one end of the box, they are safely tucked in there). I didn't want to reopen the entire box. They should be ok.
Someone from GW sent me these fresh seeds "Apple blossom" X ? I can't remember off hand. I planted a package, and had a package left over. They germinate with in 2 weeks, and grow quickly.

Wow Deb, both toes at once?I had mine done but one at a time.Thats what we do where I work.I work in a dermatology clinic.The doc I work for did mine,so I give him a hard time about "making" me work all day with a bandaged toe.So sorry to hear about your bird.I looked up monk parrot on google.He was very pretty.My hubby knew what they were.He took care of several of these for a man he worked for a few years ago.Hope you have a better end to Oct. Carol-I'm so excited.I can't wait till it gets here.I'll post as soon as I get it. Frances-Your flowers are so pretty!Great job!

I'm so sorry to hear about Greenbean! That's a really sad loss. And your poor son - ouch! I hope THIS week is much better than the past couple have been for you. I figured you were busy/overwhelmed or had some crisis come up when you didn't post. I'm so glad you liked the box; I was hoping I'd chosen things you would enjoy.

I'll look out for my box. We were away all weekend, and enjoyed a beautiful fall foliage trip from Upstate NY to Wheeling, West Virginia, to visit relatives. Wonderful trip, from both the family and foliage POV.

Our neighbor collected our mail while we were gone, and when he brought it to us last night, THE BOX was there too. What a great way to end a great weekend. THANK YOU, THANK YOU SO MUCH for the fantastic box:

Wow, what a wonderful assortment of goodies! I don't have any of those bulbs, and I'm happy to have new ones to add to my garden. I'll set out the diffuser today, too. It will help me get in the baking mood for the holidays.

Hi Everybody! I got a very nice box from Carol.I haven't had any time to list anything or even check my email for a couple of days.Life happens to the best of us.In my box I recieved a very lovely note, scarecrow pick(going to put in my pot of mums),rasberry lemonade mix(yum),sugar plum scented body lotion-hand & body wash-& body scrub(smells great),a purple body scrubbie to go along with it,a very cute pansey shaped candle,lg. bag of assorted daffodils,two bags of assorted crocus,and also a bag of pumpkin poop!(candy corn-with a cute little poem)Thanks so much Carol.I hope I haven't forgotten anything.Now going to go enjoy my pumpkin poop & my lemonade!!